One thing I love about Fall is the array of natural flavors we get to enjoy. Baby food doesn’t have to be bland and now a days mom’s are getting more creative with their babies nourishment. It doesn’t have to take much effort to create healthy food for your babe. The two ingredients that my babe is loving right now are:

Cinnamon

Sweet and cozy cinnamon is a signature flavor in the fall. Adding a bit of cinnamon to baby food is a fantastic way to begin offering interesting flavor to your little one's developing palate. You can dress up roasted or pureed carrots with a dash of cinnamon to mimic the glazed carrots on your family table. Or sprinkle some on baby's hot cereal at breakfast time for a warming, sticky-bun-inspired treat.

Pumpkin

With a subtle flavor and natural sweetness, babies love pumpkin. If you're baking up pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread or other pumpkin-y treats this season, set aside some puree for baby to try. Serve it on its own or jazzed up with a sprinkling of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves). You can even feed your baby straight-from-the-can canned pumpkin, which is pre-cooked and pre-pureed – it's an amazingly quick and easy way to introduce this fall classic to your baby. In fact, you might even say it's as easy as pie.

Butternut Squash

Butternut squash is rich in alpha-carotene and beta-carotene compounds, which convert into vitamin A inside the body. Vitamin A is essential for healthy eyes. Butternut squash is rich in fiber, which promotes healthy bowel movement. It eventually helps minimize indigestion and constipation in babies. Antioxidants in squash have anti-inflammatory properties that can help if the baby has inflammatory auto-immune diseases. Squash contains vitamin C and nearly all B-complex vitamins, which ensure optimum functioning of the immune system. Babies love it for it’s natural sweetness. I introduced this as well as avocados for my sons first food and they were a hit!

PUMPKIN TREAT

Ingredients:

1/2 small organic Pie Pumpkin

1/4 cup Greek Yogurt

1 Banana

Instructions:

Seed and skin 1/2 pumpkin. To skin a pumpkin cut into hand size pieces and with a knife, cut away the tough skin. Chop pumpkin into bite size pieces.

Place pumpkin onto the Baby Bullet steam tray, add in water, cover and let cook for 10 minutes. (Steam on stove top if you don’t have the Baby Bullet System)

Let cool slightly.

Place pumpkin, yogurt and banana into Baby Bullet and puree until smooth.

Will last 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer.

PUMPKIN TREAT SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

Pumpkin Puree

1 small ripe banana

1/4 cup vanilla or plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon flax seeds

1/2 cup ice

Instructions:

Add the puree, banana, yogurt, pumpkin pie spice, flax seeds and ice into a blender and blend on hight for 1-2 minutes or until smooth. For a thicker smoothie, you can add in an additional 1/2 cup of ice before blending. If your little one is adverse to cold beverages, you an simply leave out the ice and have a more ‘juice’ like consistency smoothie, or make the smoothie and let sit on the counter for 15 minutes before serving.Pour into sippy cup or cup with straw and serve.

Pumpkin Puree - you can also use 1/2 cup of pure pumpkin puree that is found in the baking aisle for this recipe.

Toddler Option - for a sweeter smoothie for toddlers, you can add in 2 teaspoons of agave nectar, honey (for kiddos over the age of 1) or maple syrup.

Age - from about 8+ months through adults

Storage: Will last overnight in fridge but will need to be shaken to re-mix all ingredients

AUTUMN SMOOTHIE

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain, vanilla or banana yogurt

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

dash of ginger

1 frozen banana

Instructions:

Combine in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Age - from about 8+ months through adults

BUTTERNUT SQUASH

Any kind of squash or sweet potato works

Baking: (You can steam as well, I just find this method the easiest. )

Cut the squash into two halves in length. Scoop out the lower section that has seeds.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F (176 °C). Place the two halves of squash on a baking tray. Add butter to each side.

Bake for an hour. Once done, scoop out the soft pulp from skin. Puree or mash the baked pulp before feeding your little one. Optional: Adding some almond milk and a little dash of ginger will give it a creamy texture.